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(Bowen) Hit and Smash
Author: Nathaniel Ross
Date: 02-06-14 14:31
"Go Hufflepuff…"
"Yeah…Go yellow team…"
"You are not saying it like you mean it!" Jane complained. "Show some more enthusiasm boys. I was rooting for your house during the last match so now you'll cheer for mine. Come on!"
Her wand has been taken out of her pocket and that was an enough incentive to make Bowen and Pelinore cheer more vividly for the Hufflepuffs. Jane seemed pleased now with their behavior and her attention returned to the match. She reminded to Bo some of the women that went to church and listened to the priest's speech with fervor, drinking all his words. Jane seemed to be in the same state as she watched the duel between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw chasers.
"And I thought the Slytherins were the mean the ones. She's worse than them!" Pelinore whispered to Bowen, making sure Jane was not hearing. "She must be some sort of Quidditch werewolf. Give her a Quidditch match and she turns into this bossy beast."
Bo grinned finding the analogy funny. Jane was very quiet and gentle and you could always count on her to give you good advises. But when Quidditch was involved she would become a totally different person, more alive and passionate than before. It was hard to believe that the Quidditch Jane was the very same person as the Jane they hang out with daily.
"So, which one is your Secret Santa?"
This was only the second match Bo assisted in his life and he still found it complicated to understand what was going on at the pitch. Pelinore had explained him the rules before and the commentator's words helped but still Bowen's eyes haven't got used to the fast pace of the game yet. It took him almost two minutes to identify the Hufflepuff beater named Augustus Hodfuffer.
He had participated in the Secret Santa gift exchange because Mrs. Ross wrote to him saying she thought it would be a good idea to do so. But Bowen had entered in panic when he got Augustus Hodfuffer's name. He had no idea who he was; he didn't even think he had seen him before at all. He had to ask a prefect and then when he learned Gus was from Hufflepuff he asked Jane to ask around her house colleagues, to see if she could learn anything about Gus that could give him a hint about what sort of present he should get. The information Jane had gathered has not been very conclusive because she was shy and most of it came from conversations she had heard in the bathrooms by older girls where Gus was referred as 'hot' or 'cute'. So Bowen wrote to Mrs. Ross asking for help. Her godmother didn't disappoint him: she sent him a gift by mail that he could offer to Gus. The gift consisted in a sports bag with the Hufflepuff colors where Gus could keep his Quidditch equipment or use it for his Fitness & Athletics classes.
"Go Hufflepuff!" Jane exclaimed and Bo and Pelinore copied her.
Then Pelinore made a sign to Bo and pointed to a small blue spot that was Bran Hyland.
"Can you imagine being a seeker on your first year? It's just…wow…"
"I don't know. It seems a bit boring to spend the entire match chasing a little ball…" Bo observed.
"It's called a snitch," his friend corrected.
"Snitch, yeah, I know. I would rather be in the center of the action. Not as a beater, because it's like they are playing baseball and that's too American for me, but maybe as a chaser or keeper. Keeper sounds found. I often played as a goalkeeper when I was at my other school."
"Baseball? Goalkeeper? You're talking gobbling language to me, buddy."
"I'll explain later."
At times he would forget that unlike him Pelinore wasn't raised in the Muggle world. Jane booed when the Ravenclaw chasers got the quaffle and she incited the beaters to 'hit and smash them'.
"She's mental! I'm scared now…" Pelinore said half serious, half teasing. "Maybe we should consider stop hanging out with her."
"I think it's a little too late for that. She would pick the beater's bat and smash you," Bo joked.
Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw 2007
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 02-06-14 16:41
As usual on the day of a match Viktor arrived early to Hogwarts, going straight to the pitch. Though he'd made sure on Friday that everything was in order for the game he went through the checklist again. Fortified by strong coffee he'd then made a circuit around the pitch itself, yet again making sure the various demarcation lines were clear and that the charm on the field to keep it clear of snow was working properly. The way the wind periodically kicks up, without that charm drifts would soon pile up around the pitch, possibly even blocking access to the stands. Without that charm, Viktor would have needed to arrive even earlier in order to clear the pitch of snow that would have accumulated since the Gryffindor-Slytherin match. Even using a wand, such a process can take time.
As time neared for the match to begin, more and more people of all ages, though mostly students, streamed down to the pitch to fill the stands. Zuberi and Marjani arrived, keeping him company until needing to take to the stands themselves as the announcer prepared to announce the teams. The sole referee this match, Viktor had the trunk of balls ready to go as first the Hufflepuff team then the Ravenclaw team were announced.
"For Hufflepuff are captain and seeker Aleydis Vanderbilt! Chasers Jasper Jenkins, Marlow MacDougal, and Sadie Mickle! Keeper Glori Hodfuffer! And beaters Gus Hodfuffer and Caerwyn Valentine, who is also the team's co-captain!"
After all the Hufflepuffs had emerged from the locker room and flew around the pitch to come to rest where Viktor waited the Ravenclaw teams emerges from the locker room.
"For Ravenclaw are seeker Bran Hyland! Chaser and captain Alastor Jenkins, chaser and co-captain Ramona Mickle, and chaser Franciscus Vanderbilt! Keeper Beatrix Vandberbilt! And beaters Aderyn Carter and Jade Green!"
As the Ravenclaw team made its own circuit around the pitch before landing on the other side of Viktor, he had the thought that three of the four recipients of this year's Kendra Beck Hogwarts Scholarship are in this match. He'd been livid upon learning the solicitor in charge of the fund had made a mistake and failed to inform the four recipients prior to term beginning. When the four - Hunter Rabnott, Alastor Jenkins, Sadie Mickle, and Beatrix Vanderbilt return to their dorms later this afternoon they will each have a notification of being awarded the scholarship, which pays for all school supplies and a stipend paid in installments through the school year. As it's already in December, the notifications will include enough funds to cover any school supplies bought to date and each stipend installment through December.
Mind back on the match, Viktor motioned for Aleydis and Alastor to come forward to shake hands. Seconds later, players were in the air, the balls released and the match officially underway.
(Sadie & Ramona) Gifts & Gameplay
Author: Griet
Date: 02-07-14 17:06
Sadie wished she hadn't forgotten her gloves in the locker room. The cold air nipped at her exposed fingers, which were already dried out from the wintry weather. Her knuckles hadn't started bleeding yet, a miracle, considering she always forgot to put lotion on too. With the way they stung now, though, Sadie didn't doubt her skin would crack and bleed by game's end.
She tried not to let her stinging knuckles distract her from the task at hand. Ramona had the quaffle and zealously zipped through the icy air. She dodged past Jasper, who whipped his arm out in an attempt to snatch the quaffle away, and executed a perfect barrel-roll to avoid Caerwyn's bludger. As she came out of the roll, she handed the ball off to Alastor, almost without anyone noticing.
Sadie noticed, though, and made Alastor her focus. The other players were quick to catch on, however, since Ramona didn't pretend like she had it anymore. Sadie darted forward, maneuvering herself past Jasper and then placing herself strategically between her sister and Alastor. Ramona flew closer as if she might bump Sadie, but didn't to avoid the risk committing a foul. Alastor shifted his hold on the quaffle from one arm to the next, which was precisely when Marlow made her move. She punched the ball, causing Alastor to scramble for it. Everyone dove for it, but it was Sadie who emerged successful.
She turned around and shot forward, ducking her head when Aderyn made her the target of her bludger. It sailed over her, but was a close enough miss that Sadie could feel it graze the wild hairs on the top of her head. She noticed Jade lining up to aim the other bludger at her and looked to Marlow to accept the quaffle.
Marlow just happened to be her Secret Santa recipient. Instead of buying something this year, Sadie thought to make a handmade gift. She had found a book on crocheting in the library and had thought to give it a try. After several badly made attempts, Sadie finally made something that looked decent. It was a little purse that Marlow could wear on her shoulder or cross-body if she preferred. Sadie thought she might make Ramona and their mother one too. Maybe she'd try to make her dad and Hunter a scarf.
Marlow accepted the quaffle, but didn't hold on to it for very long, because Jade quickly adjusted the direction she wanted the bludger to go. Marlow passed the ball to Jasper. He eventually passed it back to Sadie. By now, she was within scoring range. She didn't hesitate to attempt a goal, but her cousin Beatrix easily batted the quaffle away. Franciscus caught the rebound, but Gus caught him in the shoulder with a bludger. Marlow snatched the ball back for Hufflepuff and shot the ball at the center hoop. Beatrix thought to catch it and hand it off to one of her Ravenclaw teammates, but she somehow didn't and it bounced off her chest and flew back into Marlow's arms.
Somewhat startled by the ball thumping her in the chest rather than landing neatly in her arms, Beatrix was a hair too slow to stop Marlow's goal. The ball nearly went cleaning through the hoops, but a bit of wind knocked it into the rim as it sailed through it.
"Hufflepuff scores! 10 points to Ravenclaw's 0!" shouted the announcer.
Ramona accepted the quaffle from Beatrix, who still looked a bit bewildered. Being in a small area with most of the other players made it a bit difficult for her to emerge unscathed. In fact, the bristles of somebody's broomsticks scraped her thigh as she pushed past, which seemed even more painful than it otherwise would have been. The cold made every cut and scrape, even through clothing, feel extra uncomfortable.
She didn't get very far before Caerwyn knocked a bludger into her back. Luckily, she kept her hold on the quaffle, though Sadie tried to yank it from her arms. She was driven away by Jade, who aimed the other bludger right at her head.
Ramona shot the quaffle at Franciscus. The muscles in her back ached as she made the movement, but she didn't feel like the bludger hit would hinder her for the duration of the game. She just needed a moment for the throbbing to subside, but it wasn't so bad that she couldn't ignore it.
Franciscus passed to Alastor, but Jasper came down the middle and intercepted it. He turned around, but Jade was ready with another bludger. Boxed iin by Franciscus and Alastor, Jasper could only dive or make a steep incline to avoid getting hit. He dove, but the bludger hit the bristles of his broomsticks and caused him to seesaw up in the air and nearly flip over backwards. The quaffle launched from his arms, and Ramona was able to catch it before Coach Krum could blow his whistle.
While the game went into timeout so that Viktor could check on Jasper's broomstick, Ramona let her mind wander a little bit. Her back still ached a little, but the pain had definitely numbed. All she could really feel now was the biting cold of December.
She thought about the gift she had gotten her Secret Santa person, Amorica Wenlock. Right now, under the tree in the Common Common Room, was a tiny jewelry box containing a moonstone pendant. Ramona thought it was very pretty and had almost been tempted to get one for herself.
After the inspection was concluded on Jasper's broomstick and it seemed he could go on using it in the match, Coach Krum blew his whistle again and the game resumed with Ramona in possession of the quaffle.
Ten to Ten (Gus & Glori)
Author: Phinfilius
Date: 02-07-14 18:41
During the time out earlier when Jasper Jenkin's broom was being checked by Coach Krum, Gus had been rubbing one knee. For the life of him he can't think of what he's done that it has a knotted bruise. It was like that when he got up this morning, causing him to wonder if he was sleepwalking or if Peeves pulled a prank that he slept right through even while getting bruised. Sitting a broom for the match has made him even more aware of the pain. He is not, however, about to let it affect his game playing.
The nagging pain recedes somewhat when the match starts again. It makes him glad he's the one inflicting bruises with the bludgers rather than receiving them, not that beaters don't get banged up sometimes.
He comes up to one of those bludgers, eyes darting to double check who currently has the quaffle - Franciscus Vanderbilt - then bats the quaffle at the Ravenclaw chaser. To his chagrin Jade Green gets between the bludger and Franciscus, hitting the black ball at Sadie Mickle, who's trying to steal the quaffle from her cousin. Gus can't get to Sadie in time nor is Caerwyn in the immediate vicinity. Luckily, Sadie's flight takes her out of the bludger's path.
Gus goes after it as Franciscus closes in on Glori guarding the Hufflepuff hoops. Glori doesn't get a chance this time to do anything because Marlow MacDougal intercepts a pass from Franciscus to Ramona Mickle. Marlow wheels her broom around to race back the other direction. She gets about a third of the way when she loses the quaffle just before she's set to hand it off to Sadie, courtesy of a bludger from Aderyn Carter. Gus is mentally kicking himself on that one. He'd seen Aderyn batting that bludger and had guessed her plan but though he'd poured on the speed, he fell short of getting to Marlow on time to protect her.
Gus does get that bludger now, aiming not at Alastor Jenkins who'd grabbed up the quaffle but at Ramona, who's closer to Glori than Alastor is and looks like she's giving him a signal to pass. The bludger takes Ramona on the upper arm, diverting her attention momentarily from Alastor and the quaffle.
Glori tenses up as Ravenclaw brings the quaffle back her way. Alastor passes off to Franciscus and, unlike just moments before, Franciscus gets close enough to try for a goal. He takes a cross body shot, sending the quaffle at an angle. Glori's able to get in front of the ball, smacking it back from the hoop behind her.
Jasper and Ramona vie for the rebound with Jasper taking possession for all of a heartbeat when Ramona raps it with her knuckles to free it from his still tenuous grasp. She pivots on her broom for a better throwing position and lets the quaffle fly. The timing of Ramona's throw is practically perfect as Jade's clips Glori with a bludger right then.
Glori hurls her body to the side for the block but the bludger delayed her just enough for the quaffle to soar safely past her and through the hoop, bringing the score to 10 points each. Glori tosses the quaffle to Sadie, who in turn throws to Marlow.
Marlow swerves to avoid a collision with Franciscus and then has to swerve again because she nearly flies right into seeker Bran Hyland. Jasper has sped ahead by that time so Marlow passes off to her cousin. It takes them nearly two minutes, what with bludgers, steal attempts, and one near interception, but Sadie, Jasper, and Marlow work the quaffle to where Beatrix Vanderbilts awaits. Glori wishes she could see the other end of the pitch just a little better and hopes that her teammates are able to get ten more points on this scoreboard.
(Beatrix & Franciscus) Too Slow
Author: Griet
Date: 02-08-14 08:49
When it became clear that the Hufflepuff chasers would reach her, Beatrix leaned forward slightly and kept her eyes trained on the quaffle while occasionally looking out for the bludgers. She knew that she would soon become of the target of Hufflepuff's beaters and did not want to get hit. She also didn't want to let another quaffle get past her.
Marlow got within scoring range with the quaffle in hand and let it fly towards the right-most hoop. Beatrix dove for it and pushed it back into the fray with the tips of her fingers. She turned in time to see a bludger courtesy Caerwyn aimed her way and ducked her head to avoid it. The black ball sailed over her hair and struck one the goal post behind her, making a loud clang and causing the hoop to vibrate slightly.
The bludger ricocheted off the hoop, missing Beatrix and causing the congregated chasers to scatter for a moment. Jasper had gotten the rebound after Beatrix's block and regrouped to attempt another score for Hufflepuff. This time Beatrix caught the quaffle and sent it back into play via Franciscus.
She remained vigilant while she watched her brother carry the quaffle away. Only when he was halfway down the Pitch did she allow herself to relax a little. The unintended hit by quaffle she had taken in the chest earlier no longer bothered her, but she still had the urge to rub at the site of impact, which didn't border on the obscene but nevertheless looked a bit odd. She hoped Ash wasn't watching… or maybe she did.
She wondered if she would get to see him at all over Christmas break. Beatrix would be going home to spend time with her family, though she wouldn't get to see Griet on Christmas Eve and possibly not even Christmas Day, since the full moon fell smack on the holiday this year.
She had most of her Christmas shopping done but not all of it. Her Secret Santa recipient this year was Professor Knight, who was not quite the hottie Ash was in her opinion but was still plenty good-looking. Beatrix had thought to get him something either relating to running, which she knew he did on a regular basis (and shirtless when weather permitted), or perhaps even something having to do with charms. In the end, she'd picked up cork coasters with pretty designs from one of the vendor booths set up in Hogsmeade.
Only when Franciscus got halfway down the Pitch did he pass the ball to one of his teammates. Alastor accepted the quaffle easily and pushed forward, leaning low over his broomstick to offer the least resistance to the chilly, sometimes windy air. Gus whacked a bludger in his direction, but Alastor turned slightly so that it passed over the plane of his body with only an inch to spare.
Jade came up behind the bludger and redirected it at Sadie when she cut sideways across Alastor's flight path in an attempt to distract him and slow him down. The bludger tapped Sadie in the thigh and stopped her from cutting off Alastor. Just before he got to where Glori waited, he tossed the ball to Ramona, who attempted a goal. Glori did some quick maneuvering to catch the quaffle, which she handed off to Jasper.
Jasper wasted no time putting distance between himself and the Hufflepuff goals. Franciscus tailed him and hoped to overtake him, but a buffet of wind was making it difficult for him to pick up speed. To top it off, one of the bludgers came right at him, forcing him to abandon his plan to catch up to Jasper. Franciscus swerved but managed not to get hit by the black ball.
Jasper, meanwhile, passed the ball to Marlow, who passed it to Sadie, and so on. The red ball flew from hand to hand with lightning speed. Franciscus, having fallen a little behind, did his best to follow the ball while he urged his broomstick to fly faster. He knew he probably wouldn't be able to catch up unless a bludger slowed one of the Hufflepuff chasers down or if one of the other Ravenclaw chasers managed to intercept the quaffle.
Hufflepuff maintained possession of the red ball, though, and swiftly reached Beatrix. She did her best to block Sadie's goal attempt, which came so lightning quick that Beatrix didn't have enough time to react to it. Too slow, she couldn't prevent the ball from sailing cleanly through the hoop.
Now Hufflepuff led the match, 20 to Ravenclaw's 10.
Jasper, Alastor, & Marlow In The Match
Author: Aaron Miller
Date: 02-08-14 17:17
When a bludger goes astray and knocks into Coach Krum's broom with a crack so loud it echoes across the pitch, another timeout is called so Krum can check his broom and exchange it for another if needed. During the timeout, Jasper got help from Caerwyn and Gus. One bludger hit he took was to his hand and after that one finger felt off somehow. He finally decided it was dislocated so got Caerwyn and Gus to help him fix it as best they could. He'll go see Madam Pomfrey after the match but, for now, their help means being better able to effectively do his part the remainder of the game.
The spot in which Hufflepuff hovers while waiting for Coach Krum to restart the match is in a line of sight to the staff box. He sees Professor McGonagall sitting there, smiling and nodding at something Professor Flitwick is saying. He wonders if the headmistress has found the Secret Santa gift he left for her last night under the large tree in the Commons. Having no idea what to get her, Jasper had spent a great deal of time that last Hogsmeade trip looking. If he couldn't find anything he was going to write home and beg his mum for help. Jasper was happy at not having had to go the Mum route. He found a suncatcher with a sun design that he thinks is nice.
The timeout over, his finger feeling somewhat better, Jasper flies to flank his brother. Ravenclaw had had possession when the timeout. Ramona has the quaffle, looking to pass to either Alastor or Franciscus. She assesses the three Hufflepuff chasers, eager to regain the quaffle. Ramona acts like she's throwing to Franciscus but instead sends it to Alastor.
Jasper shadows Alastor, looking for any opening to take the ball away. He nearly gets the steal when in the process of ducking a bluger, Alastor's grasp on the quaffle loosens and he nearly drops it. He stops it just in time and situates his body in such a way that if Jasper had lunged in to grab the ball or help pop it free of Alastor's grasp, Jasper would commit a foul.
The opportunity to intercept a pass comes when Alastor throws to Franciscus. Jasper hurries to get there in time but is slowed by a bludger from Aderyn. Sadie's effort to get the quaffle is also foiled when Jade gets between her, the quaffle, and Franciscus.
Alastor frowns in the direction of Jasper, wondering if it's considered bad sportsmanship to find one's younger sibling on the opposite team to be an irritant. The same goes for one's younger cousin. Where Jasper and Sadie failed at regaining possession of the quaffle, Marlow succeeds. One second Franciscus has the red ball and the next Marlow does. From his vantage point, Alastor isn't even sure exactly what happened.
Marlow doesn't have it for long as she passes of to Sadie, or tries to. In one of those freaks of timing, a bludger meant for Sadie hits the quaffle instead, knocking it far out of bounds. While the quaffle is retrieved Alastor scans the stands, wondering which person drew his name in Secret Santa and when his gift will be delivered.
He got the name of a younger girl, Tamsin Branstone. As she's a fourth year like his sister, though a Gryffindor to Eden's Hufflepuff, he'd asked Eden what she knows. She told him what she could though he ended up not using anything she'd told him about Tamsin. What he did do was use a gift idea of Eden's to get Tamsin a lap desk with a pillow attached. He hadn't planned on getting anything more but saw some of those reading pillows with arms on sale and got one of those for Tamsin as well. As the pillow is somewhat bulky, Alastor was sneaky about the gift wrapping, charming the pillow to be small, enlarging on its own once Tamsin opens the box.
Quaffle retrieved, it goes to Marlow, the last person to actually touch it. This time, Marlow makes a successful hand off to Sadie. Sadie is already in motion before she's secured her hold on the ball. She darts around Franciscus then tosses the quaffle to Jasper.
Jasper nearly makes it within the best goal range where Beatrix is on high alert. He's stopped when Jade gets him in the side with a bludger. It's enough of a distraction that though Jasper does let go of the quaffle, it does allow Alastor to snatch it away.
Marlow frowns in Alastor's direction, speeding to get alongside in the hope of retaking the ball. She's thwarted by Aledydis of all people, her own team's seeker, though Aleydis may be on the scent of the snitch so she can't really be upset; plus, Aleydis seemed to be concentrating so hard Marlow doubts she even noticed crossing paths with another player.
Alastor lobs the quaffle to Ramona, who immediately has to duck a bludger from Gus. Ramona zags an uneven path in Glori's direction. Marlow does her best to keep up but Ramona's being very unpredictable. She does slow when a bludger whizzes so closely in front of her she's lucky it doesn't bump the tip of her broom.
With slowing, Ramona throws to Franciscus. In turn, he hurls the quaffle to Alastor. Near enough to Glori now to try to add to Ravenclaw's score, Alastor cocks his arm back and throws. Glori rebuffs the red ball with Jasper and Franciscus scrabbling for the rebound. Franciscus comes up victorious, throwing the quaffle as far from Glori's current position as he can and still have a hope that the quaffle will go through the hoop there.
Glori does her best, moving lightening quick to get to the quaffle, but it still gets by her, tying up the game again at 20 to 20.
Glori gives the quaffle to Marlow who throws it to Sadie. Putting her broom into motion once more, Marlow sees her younger Wenlock cousin Amorica waving at her from one of the stands. Amorica puts Marlow in mind of the Secret Santa gift exchange. Marlow got the name of Titus Nott, a Slytherin one year behind Amorica. She'd asked her cousin for any information she could give on Titus. Amorica said there is a rumor that Titus has a fondness for Muggle made chocolates. She also said he's friends with some of the nastier second years.
With those two tidbits, Marlow got Titus a big basket of Muggle chocolates by a company called Cadbury, hoping there is truth to the rumor Amorica mentioned. She also got him a somewhat tongue-in-cheek t-shirt in case Titus does not, in fact, care much for Muggle made chocolates.